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David Johnson

Johnson is the founder of Act 4 Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based filmed entertainment and new media content company created in 2007 to motivate and inspire audiences across the world toward social action. Act 4 is in development on approximately 20 feature film, television and new media projects, as well as a live stage musical production.

Johnson most recently produced the live stage musical version of American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in London. He executive produced The People Speak, a feature-length documentary with Matt Damon and other actors and musicians based on Howard Zinn’s book A People’s History of the United States, for the History Channel; and Angels in Exile, a feature-length documentary about street kids of Durban, South Africa; and produced The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby, a feature-length documentary about the career and family life of controversial CIA director William Colby.

In keeping with his commitment to improving economic justice in America, Johnson is a current board member and former Chair of Public Counsel Law Center, the nation’s largest public interest pro bono law firm. He founded the Center’s Impact Litigation Project, the first in the nation to recognize that the economic divide is a legal issue and action must be taken to close the gap. The Impact Litigation Project addresses economic justice through large-scale litigation—helping thousands with the intent to change the law itself. In 2012, Congressional Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) presented Johnson with Public Counsel Law Center’s Founders Award for his commitment to the organization. [View video tribute]

Additionally, in the areas of social justice, Johnson serves on the boards of directors for Children Now, a national child policy and advocacy organization; the Dream Foundation, a wish-granting organization for terminally ill adults; and Human Rights Watch (California), one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to defending human rights.

Johnson, recognizing the importance of culture and centers of excellence in our country, serves as Chair Emeritus of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Under his leadership as co-Chair, MOCA has been revitalized: the museum is debt-free as a result of a financial restructuring and raised an endowment in excess of 100 million dollars, has hired a new director, and elected more than 20 new board members. Johnson is also a member of the board of directors of KCETLink, an independent public broadcasting station in Los Angeles; and a member of the board of advisors of the Yale School of Drama.

Johnson was a founder of Agility Capital, LLC, a venture fund for early stage companies, and had previously served as senior executive vice president at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Prior to MGM, he was a partner of the international law firm White & Case.

Johnson is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School.